“He will be missed by all” says company CEO Zak Brown when describing the tragic death at McLaren. McLaren will wear a ribbon of mourning at the end of 2023: Gil de Ferran, sporting director from July 2018 to 2021 and most recently an adviser to the British Formula One team since May 2023, has died unexpectedly.

De Ferran was attending a private driving event with his son Luke at the Concours Club in Opa-locka, Florida on Friday. The Brazilian suddenly became unwell, parked his car and, according to reports from the Associated Press and others, suffered a heart attack. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown said. He was a great friend for over 20 years and will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

According to McLaren’s condolences, de Ferran was “an important and integral part of our racing team. He was a formidable force on and off the track and left a lasting impression on everyone who raced and worked with him. He will be greatly missed by everyone at McLaren Racing.”

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Dreaming of a Formula 1 cockpit

As a teenager, De Ferran dreamed of becoming a professional racing driver and Formula 1 world champion like Emerson Fittipaldi. In 1991 he finished third in the British Formula 3 Championship, beaten only by fellow countryman Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard, both of whom went on to have successful Formula 1 careers.

In 1992, de Ferran won the championship himself for the team of Jackie Stewart’s son Paul, and in 1993 and 1994 he finished fourth and third respectively in the then Formula 3000 championship, a forerunner of today’s Formula 2.

But tests with Williams and Arrows didn’t result in a contract, so he moved to North America at the end of 1994.

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De Farran’s American successes

It was there that de Ferran became one of the stars of the US motorsport scene, winning the CART championship in 2000 and 2001, and celebrating his greatest success in the final year of his active career in the premier league in 2003, when he completed the 500 miles of Indianapolis at his fourth attempt.

After that, he continued to compete in endurance races.

He returned to Europe in 2005, initially as sporting director of the then BAR team. It was not least because of his close relationship with Honda, BAR’s partner at the time, that de Ferran initiated the takeover of the Brackley-based team, which now competes as a Mercedes factory team.

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Active not only in Formula 1

At McLaren, de Ferran has not concentrated solely on Formula 1, but has recently been available to the company as a consultant for all motorsport activities.

It is clear that his expertise lies in IndyCar. In 2019, when Fernando Alonso competed at the Indy 500, de Ferran was McLaren’s sporting director.

De Ferran was 56 years old. He is survived by his wife Angela, a daughter Anna and a son Luke. Daughter Anna has embarked on a career as a DJ and has also recently worked in Formula 1.

She performed at the Formula 1 2023 season finale in Abu Dhabi as part of the pre-race show.

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